King County, WA

County

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2023 Population

2.26M

0.37% 1-year growth

US Senator

Patty Murray

Democratic Party

US Senator

Maria Cantwell

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

37.3

0.269% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

8.38%

0.817% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$122,148

4.99% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$811,200

6.53% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

1.25M

0.519% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, King County, WA had a population of 2.26M people with a median age of 37.3 and a median household income of $122,148. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of King County, WA grew from 2.25M to 2.26M, a 0.37% increase and its median household income grew from $116,340 to $122,148, a 4.99% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in King County, WA are White (Non-Hispanic) (54.3%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (19.8%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (6.93%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (6.4%), and Other (Hispanic) (4.27%).

None of the households in King County, WA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

86.8% of the residents in King County, WA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in King County, WA are University of Washington-Seattle Campus (15,671 degrees awarded in 2022), Seattle University (2,496 degrees), and Bellevue College (2,387 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in King County, WA was $811,200, and the homeownership rate was 56.1%.

Most people in King County, WA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 28.1 minutes. The average car ownership in King County, WA was 2 cars per household.

King County, WA borders Chelan County, WA, Kitsap County, WA, Kittitas County, WA, Pierce County, WA, Snohomish County, WA, and Yakima County, WA.

About the photo: The view on Rattle Snake Ridge.

Photo by Chad McDonald

United States Washington Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

Population & Diversity

King County, WA is home to a population of 2.26M people, from which 86.8% are citizens. As of 2023, 24.9% of King County, WA residents were born outside of the country (564k people).

In 2023, there were 2.75 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (1.23M people) in King County, WA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 447k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 157k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

86.8%

2023 Citizenship

87%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 86.8% of King County, WA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in King County, WA was 87%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in King County, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in King County, WA

White (Non-Hispanic)
1.23M ± 2.01k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
447k ± 3.3k
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
157k ± 4.33k

10.8%

Hispanic Population

245k people

10.8% of the people in King County, WA are hispanic (245k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in King County, WA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Washington.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
244,390 ± 11,943 people
India
101,527 ± 7,771 people
China
86,360 ± 7,174 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Washington was Mexico, the natal country of 244,390 Washington residents, followed by India with 101,527 and China with 86,360.

Foreign-Born Population

24.9%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

564k people

24.4%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

549k people

As of 2023, 24.9% of King County, WA residents (564k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in King County, WA was 24.4%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in King County, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
26,711 ± 1,088
Gulf War (2001-)
21,353 ± 1,472
Gulf War (1990s)
14,039 ± 984

King County, WA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.25 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of King County, WA employs 1.25M people. The largest industries in King County, WA are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (224,311 people), Retail Trade (148,955 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (146,903 people), and the highest paying industries are Information ($156,306), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($134,861), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($133,031).

Males in Washington have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $73,054. The income inequality in Washington (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

1.25M

2023 Value

± 9,573

0.519%

1 Year growth

± 1.06%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in King County, WA grew at a rate of 0.519%, from 1.24M employees to 1.25M employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in King County, WA, are Management Occupations (184,421 people), Computer & Mathematical Occupations (156,383 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (100,414 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of King County, WA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Washington (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

1.25M

2023 Value

± 9,573

0.519%

1 Year growth

± 1.06%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in King County, WA grew at a rate of 0.519%, from 1.24M employees to 1.25M employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in King County, WA, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (224,311 people), Retail Trade (148,955 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (146,903 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of King County, WA, though some of these residents may live in King County, WA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$86,090

Median earning men ± $1,074

$60,161

Median earning women ± $723

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Information ($170,819), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($138,399), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($103,760).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Information ($119,399), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($90,126), and Manufacturing ($81,075).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Y-Axis

3.62%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 3.58M people employed in Washington. This represents a 3.62% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.3%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Washington.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

7,560
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
4,633
Health Care and Social Assistance
4,424
Construction

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$44M
Information
$18.3M
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$15.5M
Management of Companies and Enterprises

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in King County, WA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 75% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (22.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.5%).

Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are the senators currently representing the state of Washington. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Washington is currently represented by 10 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (75%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (22.2%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.5%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in King County, WA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 75% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (22.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.5%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in King County, WA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Washington

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Patty Murray

Senator from Washington

Assumed office on January 3, 1993

Maria Cantwell

Senator from Washington

Assumed office on January 3, 2001

Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are the senators currently representing Washington.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Washington over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Washington

Washington is currently represented by 10 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Washington have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in King County, WA awarded 36,700 degrees. The student population of King County, WA in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 57,664 male students and 68,315 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in King County, WA are White (15,423 and 47.6%), followed by Asian (7,000 and 21.6%), Hispanic or Latino (3,584 and 11.1%), and Two or More Races (2,528 and 7.81%).

The largest universities in King County, WA by number of degrees awarded are University of Washington-Seattle Campus (15,671 and 42.7%), Seattle University (2,496 and 6.8%), and Bellevue College (2,387 and 6.5%).

The most popular majors in King County, WA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (4,127 and 11.2%), Registered Nursing (1,333 and 3.63%), and General Business Administration & Management (1,145 and 3.12%).

The median tuition costs in King County, WA are $31,725 for private four year colleges, and $4,458 and $4,947 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in King County, WA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 57.5%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 25.5%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 125,979 (45.8% men and 54.2% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 125,979 students enrolled in King County, WA, 45.8% men and 54.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 45,371 records, of which 56.3% were women and 43.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Computer Science
886 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
717 degrees awarded
Other Research & Experimental Psychology
565 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in King County, WA was Computer Science with 886 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in King County, WA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Washington-Seattle Campus
15,671 degrees awarded
Seattle University
2,496 degrees awarded
Bellevue College
2,387 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Washington-Seattle Campus with 15,671 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 15,166 men were awarded degrees from institutions in King County, WA, which is 0.704 times less than the 21,534 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 15,423 degrees mean that there were 2.2 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 7,000 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($34,350) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($600) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,096) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Measure

In 2022, 0.975% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.954% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.41M), Some college (1.4M), and Bachelors Degree (1.33M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in King County, WA was $811,200 in 2023, which is 2.67 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $761,500 to $811,200, a 6.53% increase. The homeownership rate in King County, WA is 56.1%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in King County, WA have an average commute time of 28.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in King County, WA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in King County, WA is $122,148. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in King County, WA was Census Tract 62 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 241 and Census Tract 245, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

In 2023, 17.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in King County, WA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.95%.

Housing

Property

$811,200

Median Property Value 2023

±$5,949

$520,391

Median Property Taxes

±$5,099

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In King County, WA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in King County, WA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

56.1%

Homeownership

2023

64.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 56.1% of the housing units in King County, WA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 56.2%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in King County, WA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 62
Census Tract 241
Census Tract 245

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in King County, WA was Census Tract 62 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 241 and Census Tract 245, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

The following map shows all of the tracts in King County, WA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$122,148

Median Household Income

± $931

928k

Number of Households

± 7,635

In 2023, the median household income of the 928k households in King County, WA grew to $122,148 from the previous year's value of $116,340.

The following chart displays the households in King County, WA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for King County, WA is from Washington.

0.47

2022 Wage GINI in Washington

0.468

2021 Wage GINI in Washington

In 2022, the income inequality in Washington was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.285% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Washington was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Washington in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Washington across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (51.8%)
Worked At Home (26.2%)
Public Transit (8%)

In 2023, 51.8% of workers in King County, WA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (26.2%) and those who used public transit to get to work (8%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

28.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in King County, WA have a longer commute time (28.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.9% of the workforce in King County, WA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in King County, WA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in King County, WA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in King County, WA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 17.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in King County, WA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.95%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

8.38% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in King County, WA (187k out of 2.23M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in King County, WA is White, followed by Asian and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 10.4% of the children was living in poverty in King County, WA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 4.9%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

94.8% of the population of King County, WA has health coverage, with 61% on employee plans, 12.7% on Medicaid, 9.79% on Medicare, 10.7% on non-group plans, and 0.581% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in King County, WA see 833 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.604% increase from the previous year (828 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 881 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 180 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.1% were men and 49.9% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

833 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in King County, WA

Primary care physicians in King County, WA see an average of 833 patients per year. This represents a 0.604% increase from the previous year (828 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in King County, WA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21% under 18 years, 25.1% between 18 and 34 years, 40.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 13.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.1% were men and 49.9% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.23%

Uninsured

61%

Employer Coverage

12.7%

Medicaid

9.79%

Medicare

10.7%

Non-Group

0.581%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in King County, WA declined by 1.53% from 5.31% to 5.23%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in King County, WA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 35.1 in King County, WA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in King County, WA.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 20.9% in King County, WA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in King County, WA.